Time Won't Wait
by DRON261095
Summary: Rito and the others have finally reached third year, and things on Sainan haven't changed a bit since the arrival of Lala. Rito, nearly reaching the age of 18 has come to realize that all the incidents and confusing emotions have to stop.


**Hey guys! I know, I know. Writer's block and a serious addiction to a weird anime and manga can make you do rash things from time to time. I might continue with this one. Don't know yet so there is that.**

 **In any case, please let me know if my first chapter was good or acceptable or just pure trash. Having at least some form of criticism is the best remedy to improvement. Wish all of you a nice week.**

 **-DRON**

"Rito, are you okay?"

"Oh, hi Lala." Rito saluted, his head still down and seemingly deep in thought. "No, I am sorry. I... I just... I'll go to my room."

Everyone suddenly stopped what they were doing as they stared at Rito, his usual cheery attitude gone for some reason.

"Did something happen at school?" Asked Mikan a little worried.

Rito closed and locked the door behind him. So many things have been happening lately, and he kept growing ever frustrated about the situation. Lala, nemesis taking over and finally confessing to Haruna. He did claim that a harem would be impossible but was that the best path to take?

Rito sat on the ground, determined to take as much time as possible to solve this. Momo has been right. Just like a candle being lit in the middle of the night, so just the veil was lifted from his eyes.

He can't say no to Lala. He is just not able to push her away after all this time. She simply took a huge part of his life, just like sairenji since they were little.

Rito scratched his head in irritation. This was too hard. The sudden surge of courage that appeared early that day had vanished, bringing forth more questions than answers.

All the girls were shushing, standing right in front of Rito's door. Listening closely hoe sometimes Rito smashed something against the floor or just groan in frustration. There was something up and it was slowly getting the female group worried by the second.

"I'll..."

"NO!" Mikan stopped Lala from knocking the door. Knowikg full well thst Lala might be one of the reasons why her brother was acting that way. "I'll go."

Mikan confidently stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Rito!" Mikan knocked and turned the doorknob just to realize it was locked. He never locked himself up before, which was even more worrying.

"Rito!" She knocked again. "Are you okay?"

"Mikan?"

"Rito, what's going on?"

"N-nothing, I just wanted to have a moment alone. To think in peace for once in a while." Rito opened the door to find her looking at her with worried eyes.

"There is nothing to worry about." Rito smiled. "Is dinner ready?"

"Yes." She smiled back.

"Okay, I'll be down in a moment. Just let me change my clothes."

"Hurry up because it's going to get cold."

Dinner went by as usual but there was something off. Mikan knew it of course, sharing her entire life with someone could do this to you, and Rito's attitude had changed. As if he had grown several years in just a couple of days.

"Thank you for the meal Mikan!" Rito beamed. "I'll be in my room if someone needs me."

"Rito seems off doesn't he?" Lala blurted to nobody, knowing that the table went completely silent for that same reason.

"I'll go check on him!" Momo stood up abruptly and rushed out of the ignoring the others. She usually wasn't like this, but everytime she saw Rito acting that way. Her heart wanted to do something, she couldn't bear seeing the person she loved down.

"Rito-san!" She knocked on the door, knowing that bursting through it was probably a bad idea.

"Come in!"

She walked in just to find Rito with his face crunched, sitting on the floor deep in thought. Silently, she stepped forward and decided to sit down in front of him. Patiently waiting for him. Suddenly, Rito's aura changed, as if someone flipped a switch on the boy.

"Momo, just the person I wanted to see."

"Really?" Momo was shocked at the sudden attention, noticing that he was holding his emotions from bursting through. His smile, for the first time, ran from ear to ear.

"Would you do me a favor?"

"Did something wrong happen?" Naturally, that was the usual question asked but by the way Rito was smiling it was probably a stupid question. Still, Momo got ready, it wasn't an everyday ocurrence for Rito to ask something from her.

"I need you to bring Lala to me."

She hesitated for a moment at the unusual request but it seemed important for the boy and so, Momo went out of the room looking for her sister.

Rito stayed there, with a stupid smile on his face. They were all already in third year, and halfway through he realized that having a pseudo relationship with this two girls wasn't helping anybody. At one point in time, jealousy would only make thingd harder than they were. Still, what could he do? Lala stopped looking for a suitor since she found Rito and now even Gid Lucion Deviluke was looking up to him to carry out the marriage at this point. But he was from earth! What about Haruna? Follow the Earth rules and leave one behind? He just...

The door bursted open with a rather worried Lala because of the out of place summon.

"Rito! Are you okay? Did some..."

Rito lifted his hand to stop the barrage pf questions. "Don't worry Lala, nothing bad happened."

"Please take a seat." Lala obeyed, gently sitting in front of Rito. "I just need to talk to you about something."

"I'll wait for you outside. If you..."

"Momo wait! I have another favor from you."

At this point, Momo was able to deduce what was happening, and she couldn't stop the slight pang of pain inside her chest. A part of her was happy, and the other was utterly dissapointed. As if she was being swallowed by a black hole.

"Momo?"

"Ah yes, sorry, I was thinking about something else."

"I need you to get Haruna for me. Tell her that it's really important and it can't wait." Rito patted himself on the back for finally overcoming his usual stutter when it came to this kind of things.

"What is going on Rito?" Lala asked again, this was definitely not the usual Rito. Why get Haruna? The atmosphere felt heavy but not the bad kind. It was something she couldn't explain.

"Lala I..." Rito started blushing uncontrollably. "I realized that we can't go on like this. You, me, Haruna. I've come to believe that we are only cheating on ourselves at delaying the inevitable."

"Rito I..."

"No Lala." Rito stopped her from continuing. "Please, just let me finish okay?" Lala only nodded, letting him continue with what felt a heartfull speech.

"I am pretty sure that you've talked to Haruna about this at some point or another. The two of you marrying me and living together in a happy bubble. You have to understand, both Haruna and me grew in a completely different atmosphere than you, and marrying to two girls feels wrong." At this point, Lala's eyes opened like saucers. Could it be? Was Rito asking the impossible?

"But now, after all this years, I feel incapable to leave one of you behind." Lala visually relaxed, letting an air out that she was holding for god knows how long. The grip she had on her knees softened.

"Lala I..." Rito's blood rushed to his face, something that Lala now wanted to save in her memories for future reference. "I... I love you."

Silence.

"Rito! Ri-Ri-Rito!"

Those three words. How can three words turn her, a princess, into a pile of mush and wobbly muscles. "RITO!" Tears rushed from her eyes as she jumped onto rito showering him whimpers of joy.

"What is goin on!?" Mikan rushed into the room just to notice Lala on top of Rito. She would've claimed it was the usual act of god but Lala's tail was wiggling in the air, like a dog who haven't seen it's owner for years.

"Lala!" Now it was time for Rito to squirm. "LALA! Can't breathe!"

"Oh, sorry." Lala quickly recovered but her tail was just throwing of her calm demeanor.

Mikan raised a brow at Rito, genuinely curious about the unfolding situation. And a woman that seemed it was about to explode out of pure joy.

"Don't worry Mikan, you are about to know every detail. I just need to clear out some things with Lala. Could you leave us for a moment?" Rito's air of authority was hard to miss so Mikan just nodded and closed the door behind her once again.

"Now..." Rito breathed, fully recovered by the assault. "I just need one thing from you."

Lala just nodded, looking like a child that couldn't stay put for one more second. "I need you to talk to Haruna."

Lala fully stopped now. "I am willing to marry the two of you but Haruna..."

"She is your first love." Rito felt miserable now. The slight rejection on Lala's eyes made Rito's soul wanting to rush to the pink haired girl and comfort her, but that wouldn't be fair for any one.

"No..." Rito hesitated, he needed to choose his words wisely. "Not anymore. Neither you or Haruna are my first, nor second. It would be insulting to both of you classifying you on a level."

"I need you to convince Haruna. Do it for me!" Rito had just finished the moment someone knocked on the door.

"Rito-kun!"

"Sa-sairenji."

"What's happening?"

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad. Important? Yes."

"Lala-san?"

"Hi Sairenji!"

"Oh well, I'll leave two alone." Rito said out loud. "Lala, remember what I told you." Rito closed in on Lala while the girl simply nodded. "Sairenji." Rito kissed her cheek before going out of the room and closing the door.


End file.
